Cutter chain



Aug. 17, 1937. R. K. JEFFREY CUTTER CHAIN Original Fild Jan. 3, 1936 [N VE/VTOF? ROBERT KJEFFREY,

cam-mm,

' ATT'X Patented Aug. 17, 1937 V PATENT OFFICE CUTTER CHAIN K. Jeifrey, Bexley, Ohio, assignmto The Jefirey Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Ohio Original application January 3,1936, Serial No.

57,359. Divided and this application November 28, 1936, Serial No. 113,172

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a cutter chain of the type employed with a kerf-cutting mining machine.

An object of the invention is to provide a cutter c.1ain of minimum weight, and one which can be readily disconnected and connected together with a few common tools.

Another object of the invention is to provide a stiff back type of cutter chain which provides lo a ready escape for any particles of coal caught in the chain links.

Another object of the invention is to provide a very strong cutter chain which, however, is easily disassembled in the field.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter, the novel features and combination being set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing,

Fig. l is a side elevational view of a portion of a cutter chain comprising my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of a bit carrying link of my improved cutter chain;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the link of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a partial transverse sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a side elevational View of the connecting link of the chain of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the coupling pin 30 of the chain of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional plan view of a detail showing the coupling pin and its manner of coupling a bit carrying link and a connecting link and taken on the line 'l-'i of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a coupling pin retaining key.

As seen in Fig. l'of the drawing, the cutter chain ill comprises alternate inter-connected bit 40 carrying links H and connecting links I 2. The

bit carrying links H and connecting links l2 are preferably so formed that the cutter chain ID is of the stiff back type. That is, the chain can be bent into a concave curve but not into a 45 convex curve. The construction of the bit carrying links H is best seen in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 of the drawing, to which attention is now directed. The bit carrying links H are preferably cast of steel and comprise a pair of spaced parallel no side walls l3, l4. Adjacent their bottoms said side walls l3 and I4 carry laterally extending gibs l5, l6 which are each adapted to ride in a recess in the guideway of a cutter bar to retain the cutter chain ill on said cutter bar. The bot- 55 tom portions of said gibs l5, l6 are arcuate, as

seen at IT, to provide an extensive bearing area between the curved outer end of the cutter bar and the chain, thereby reducing wear on each, and stabilizing said cutter chain.

Intermediate the longitudinal ends of'the side walls I3, l4 and extending across the tops thereof and integrally attached thereto, there is provided an upwardly extending bit carrying post or lug l8, the axis of which forms an angle with the plane of the side walls l3, M, as illustrated in Fig. 4. This angle will vary for the different bit carrying links I I, whereby the angle which the cutter bit I9, which is carried by said post or lug I8, makes with the plane of said side walls l3, l4 varies with the different links of the cutter chain. This, of course, provides for the cutting of a ,kerf which is wider than the thickness of the cutter bar, in a manner well understood in this art.

The lug I3 is apertured at to receive the cute ter bit l9 which may be held in said aperture 26 with its cutting point extending in either direction, whereby the cutter chain may travel in either direction to perform cutting operations. A pair of studs or set screws 2|, 2i are screwthreaded into the lug l8 at opposite sides of the aperture 20 to lock the cutter bit in adjusted position. I

Adjacent the tops of the side walls i3, i4 and at each end thereof there is provided a laterally extending wing, wings 2!, 2i being attached to the side wall l3 and wings 22, 22 being attached to the side wall !4. These Wings 2!, 2| and 22, 22 are provided with bottom bearing surfaces 23, 23 and 24, 24, respectively, which are adapted to ride upon the outer edge of the cutter bar to transmit any thrust received by the bit carrying links H to said cutter bar. the cutter bar will be provided with a wear strip upon which said bearing surfaces 23, 23 and 24, 24 are adapted to bear.

Also attached to the tops of the side walls l3, l4, adjacent each end thereof but projecting inwardly of said side walls, are additional wings, wings 25, 25 being attached to wall l3 and wings 26, 26 being attached to wall l4. These wings 25, 25 and 26, 26 are provided on their lower faces with bearing surfaces 21, 21 and 28, 28 which co operate with the connecting links l2 to provide the stiff back feature of the cutter chain Hi. This will be described more in detail hereinafter.

It is to be particularly noted that the wings 2|, 2| and 22, 22 are longitudinally spaced apart, thereby providing an open area between them which will allow for free escape of any coal which may be caught between the bearing surfaces 23,

In general,

' diameter and is of hollow construction.

23 or 34, 34 and the cutter bar. This also provides for ready travel of the bit carrying links aroundthe arcuate portion of the cutter bar, during which travel the'bearing surfaces 33, 33 and 24, 34 do not contact the cutter bar, but the curved portions ll of the gibs i3 and I3 provide bearing surfaces therebetween.

It is also to be noted that the wings 33, 33 and '23, 23 have their contiguous ends spaced apart transversely and are also spaced from the lug I3, thereby providing an open-topped bit carrying link II which will allow for the free escape of any material which may be caught between the link and the cutter bar or may be caught between a tooth of the drive sprocket chain and the bit carrying link I I.

To provide further ready release of any material which may be caught between a drive sprocket chain tooth and the bit carrying link I I, I preferably provide apertures 29 and 30 in the side walls l3 and I4, respectively, of said bit carrying link II. It will thus be evident that any coal particles which may be caught between the bit carrying link II and a tooth of the drive sprocket may be readily released upon crushing thereof.

As best seen in Figs. 2 and 4 of the drawing, the aperture 30 is not of entirely uniform width, and it provides=a ledge 3| which limits the downward travel of the cutter bit l9 while preventing said cutter bit from closing said aperture 30.

In order to reinforce the lug I8 I also provide reinforcing bosses 32 which may be cast as an integral part of the bit carrying link I I. The bit carrying link II is also provided with aligned apertures 33 and 34 in the side walls l3 and i4 adjacent each end thereof, whichxapertures are adapted to co-operate with apertures 35, 33 of the same size on the connecting links l2. It will be evident that a pair of apertures, such as apertures 33 of the bit carrying link, are adapted to align with an aperture, such as aperture 36 of the connecting link, and to receive a connecting pin, pintle or thimble 31 to attach said bit carrying links H and connecting links l2 for relative pivotal movement. It may be pointed out that the connecting links I2 carry bosses 38 spaced apart by a recess 38 providing an escape for material, which bosses 38 are adapted to bridge a pair of the Wings 25, 26 of the bit carrying links H and to co-operate with the bearing surfaces 21, 28 thereof to provide the stiff back construction of the cutter chain I0.

As seen in Fig. 5 of the drawing, the top portion of each connecting link 12 may be rounded as illustrated at 39 to increase its strength, and the edges of the lower portion thereof may be chamfered or beveled, as illustrated at 40, to prevent any cutting action on the bit carrying links. It may also be noted that the bottom of each connecting link I2 is arcuate, as seen at 4|, whereby the said connecting links may readily travel around the rounded end of the cutter bar, in con tact therewith. The connecting links I2 may also be recessed at 42 to reduce the weight thereof and the amount of material employed.

Referring particularly to Figs. 6 and 7, it is to be noted that each pin 31 is of uniform outside It is also provided with a pair of aligned radial slots or grooves 43 at each end thereof. The grooves 43 are preferably square. That is, their width and depth are of the same dimension.

As best seen in Fig. 7, the pin 31 has a length substantially equal to the distance between the outside surfaces of the side walls l3. l4. Itmaybe mentioned that said outside surfaces of said side walls l3, l4 are relatively smooth whereby they This provides fora maximum of sheer strength for the pin 31. 1

The side walls l3 and 14- are provided with grooves 44 which have a depth equal to the depths of the grooves 43 and which have a width which is also equal to the width of the grooves 43. This important relation has a number of functions which will be evident from further description.

A retaining key 43 preferably made of soft'iron and which has a dimension between diagonal corners substantially equal to the bore in the pin 31, is provided for extending through the bore of said pin 31 with its ends bent over. as

illustrated at 43, 43,v to prevent lateral movement of the pin 31 relative to .the bit carrying link H and to prevent relative rotary movement therebetween.

The square key 43 preferably has a width and thickness substantially equal to the depth and width of the grooves 43 and 44. This. insures that there will be a tight fit between the bent over ends 46 of said key 43 and the grooves 43 and 44, whereby the key 43 will be held tightly in place without any movement whatever and will provide a very rigid attachment of the pin 31 and the bit carrying link II. This prevents any undue wearing of the pin 31 and insures against the parts becoming loose and lost. Also, due to the fact that the square key 43 has a thickness equal to the depth of the grooves 43 and 44, the key 43 will have its outer surfaces substantially parallel with the outer surfaces of the walls l3, ll of the bit carrying links II. This insures against the key 45 rubbing against the side walls of the cutter bar guideway and prevents grooving thereof or the wearing away of said key. Upon said pin becoming worn due to the relative movement between the connecting link I3 and said pin 31, key 45 may be driven out by a punch, which will straighten out one bent over end 43. Pin 31 may then be rotated 180 degrees'to provide a new semi-cylindrical wearing surface, after which the straightened end 43 of said'key 43 will be bent as illustrated in Fig. 7. It is also to be noted that grooves 44 do not extend completely through the side walls l3, l4 thus providing webs 43, 43 which keep the bent ends 43 of keys 41 out of contact with the relatively movable connecting link If. While the key 43 is preferably made of soft iron it may also be made of bronze, preferably silicon bronze.

It will be evident that the pin and key attaching means is a very simple construction, yet one which is very strong and may be readily assembled and disassembled in the field, with the use of only a few simple tools. For example, to remove the pin 31 it is only necessary to drive said pin out of the bit carrying link II by a few hammer blows, under which circumstances one bent over end 43 will assume an approximately upright position as shown in Fig. 8 and as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 7. To fasten the pin 31 and lock it in place, the pin need only be inserted in the aligned apertures, such as 33, 36, after which the key 45, in the form illustrated in Fig. 8, may be inserted and the straight end 46 bent over and hammered into the grooves 43 and 44 as shown in Fig. 7. If desired both bent ends 46 may be hammered while in the grooves 44, thus expanding them to fit them very tightly in said grooves.

Once in this position, the keys 41 are very tight as their four corners engage the interior of pins 31 and thus fit tightly. Bent over ends 46 also fit tightly in grooves 43 and 44. The bit carrying links H, pins 31 and keys 45 are thus rigidly attached together.

By referring to Fig. '7 it will be seen that the ends of the tubular pintle 31 are fiush with the surfaces of the outer walls of the spaced apart plates l3, l4 of the bit carrying link. When the parts are assembled as shown in Fig. 1, the interconnecting link I 2 is pivotally connected to the bit carrying link ll over a relatively large bearing surface afforded by the pintle 31 which extends through the aligned openings 33, 34 in '25 the side plates of the bit carrying link. The

opening 35 in the interconnecting link l2 registers with the aligned openings 34 and fits closely between the inner walls of the side plates l3 and I4, as shown in Fig. 7, thereby affording a substantially adjustable pivotal connection between the bit carrying link and each of the interconnecting links pivoted thereto. The extension of the pintle 31 through the openings in the side plates affords substantial resistance to shearing over the relatively large circumference of the pintle 31 at the inner spaced-apart surfaces of the spaced-apart plates l3 and I4.

When the key or keeper 45 is to be placed in the locking position shown in Fig. 7, it has the shape 40 shown in full lines in Fig. 8. The right angle end portion 46 is square in cross-section, and is adapted to fit with its side walls in very close contact with the opposing side walls of the slots 43, 43 at opposite ends of the tubular pintle 31. The

45 end which projects through the tubular pintle 31 is then bent to the position shown in Fig. 7 so as to fit into the adjacent registering slots 43, 44,

' respectively located in the pintle 31 and the side plate I3, as shown in Fig. 7. It should be particularly understood that the right angle end portion of the key or keeper has a tight fit not only with the opposite walls of the slot 43 but also with the opposite walls of the slot 44 at both ends "of the keeper.

The exposed fiat surfaces of the right angle end portions 45 and 46 will then be in planes parallel to the planes of the outer surfaces of the side plates l3 and I 4, and such exposed flat surfaces may be flush with the outer surfaces of the side plates l3 and I4, as shown in Fig. 7.

The keeper when assembled as shown in Fig. 7 not only looks the pintle 31 against turning relatively to the bit carrying link and prevents the pintle from moving axially relatively to the bit carrying link, but also cooperates with the pintle 75 fore important that the keeper shall secure the pintle in fixed and rigid relation to the side plates of the bit carrying link.

When the bit holder carries the cutter bit in one of the outermost positions such as that shown in Fig. 4, the feeding movement of the chain cutter transversely of its path of travel tends to tilt the bit carrying link on the longitudinal axis of the chain. If the flanges 2|, 22 were omitted, this tendency to tilt on the longitudinal axis of the chain would become more pronounced, and the stresses and strains tending to move the side plates l3, l4 out of parallelism would be greater than when the flanges 2 I, 22 are included. When the cutter bits are in their outermost positions and the tendency is to move the plates l3 and I4 toward each other, the openings in the side plates l3, l4 can be relied on to exert a clutching effect on the tubular pintle 31, so that the side plates l3, l4 will not bind on the interconnecting link 12. Any tendency to spread the plates I 3, l4 by binding on the interconnecting link l2 will be resisted by the right angle portions 45, 46 of the keeper, as shown in Fig. 7.

The portion of the keeper between the right angle ends has its four edges fitted against the inner cylindrical wall of the opening extending through the pintle 31. Therefore when the keeper locks the tubular pintle in assembled relation to the bit carrying link, the side walls of the latter are rigidly connected at its end portions to afford the cylindrical bearings for the interconnecting links 12. Such reinforcement of the side plates of the bit carrying link enables the latter to more effectively resist the feeding stresses and strains which tend to tilt the chain on its longitudinal axis, and furthermore the close fitting relation of the parts illustrated in Fig. '7 distributes such tilting strains to adjacent bit carrying links, by reason of the stiffening of the chain relative to tortional strains.

While the pintle 31 has a sufficiently close fit in the assembly shown in Fig. 7, it is nevertheless removable by means of a manually operated punch applied to one end of the keeper or to one end of the pintle so as to secure bending of one of the right angle end portions of the keeper back toward its straight position shown in Fig. 8. After the chain has been taken apart and is to be reassembled, the same key or keeper that was withdrawn in the manner explained may be replaced, or if desired a new keeper may be used. It will be seen by referring to Fig. 1 that the right angle end portions 45, 45 of the keepers extend toward each other on opposite sides of the bit carrying link and that the exposed ends of the pintles 31 serve as portions of the lateral surfaces of the outer walls of the plates l3, l4 of the saddle type of bit carrying link. If the pintle 31 has become worn it may be reversed when replaced, by reason of the opposite slots 43. It should be particularly noted that the recesses 44, 44 in the side plates do not extend entirely across the latter. The bottoms of the recesses 44, 44 are integral extensions of the side plates l3, l4 so that the latter will be kept from spreading apart by the right angle end portions 45, 46 of the keeper.

This application is a division of my application for a Cutter chain, Serial No. 57,359, filed January 3, 1936.

Obviously those skilled in the art may make various changes in the details and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims hereto appended, and I therefore wish not to be restricted to the precise construction herein disclosed.

Having thus described and shown an embodiment of my invention, what I desire to secure by 5 Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A bit carrying link for a mining machine cutter chain comprising a pair of parallel spaced walls, a bit carrying lug extending across the tops of said walls and connecting them together, a pair of outwardly extending spaced apart flanges at each side of each link wall and adjacent the 3 tops thereof, said flanges having bearing surfaces on their lower sides adapted to ride on a cutter bar.

2. A bit carrying link for a mining machine cutter chain comprising a pair of parallel spaced walls, a bit carrying lug extending across the tops of said walls and connecting them together, outwardly extending spaced apart flanges at each end of said link, one adjacent each top corner thereof, said flanges having bearing surfaces on their lower sides adapted to ride on a cutter bar, spaced inwardly extending flanges at the ends of said side walls and adjacent the tops thereof adapted to co-operate with connecting links to provide a stiff back chain.

3. A cutter chain for a mining machine comprising interconnected bit carrying links and connecting links, the bit carrying links comprising spaced parallel side walls interconnected by a bit carrying lug extending across the tops thereof, the connecting links extending between said side walls, pins for connecting said links, each connecting linkhaving an arcuate bottom surface,

spaced flanges extending outwardly from the side walls of said bit carrying links at the tops thereof,

said flanges having bearing surfaces adapted to contact a cutter bar, outwardly extending gibs adjacent the bottoms of said bit carrying links, said gibs having arcuate bottom surfaces, and means carried by said bit carrying lug for removably carrying a cutter bit.

4. A bit carrying link for a mining machine cutter chain comprising a pair of parallel spaced having an opening therein to permit escape of any trapped material.

5. A bit carrying link for a mining machine cutter chain comprising a pair of parallel spaced walls, a bit carrying lug extending across the tops of said walls and connecting them together, said lug having a bit carrying aperture the axis of which is at an angle to said walls, one of said side walls having an opening therein, a ledge in said opening above the bottom thereof and adapted to support the bottom of a bit to prevent its closing said opening.

6. A bit carrying link for a mining machine cutter chain comprising a pair of parallel spaced walls, a bit carrying lug extending across the tops of said walls and connecting them together, in-

wardly extending bearing means spaced from said lugs, a pair of longitudinally spaced outwardly extending flanges adjacent the tops of each of said walls having cutter bar engaging bearing surfaces, outwardly extending gibs on the bottoms of said walls, said gibs having arcuate bottom surfaces intermediate their ends.

'7. A bit carrying link for a mining machine cutter chain comprising a pair of parallel spaced walls, a bit carrying lug extending across the tops of said walls and connecting them together, a pair of longitudinally spaced outwardly extending flanges adjacent the tops of each of said walls having cutter bar engaging bearing surfaces, outwardly extending gibs on the bottoms of said walls, said gibs having arcuate bottom surfaces intermediate their ends.

ROBERT K. JEFFREY. 

